What is MEHENDI / mehandi / mehndi / Henna ???

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What is Mehndi?

Mehndi is the traditional art of adorning the hands and feet with a paste made from the finely ground leaves of the henna plant. The term refers to the powder and paste, and the design on the skin, as well as the party or ceremony. Henna is a small shrub called hawsonia inermis, and is also know as Henne, Al-Khanna, Al-henna, Jamaica Mignonette, Mendee, Egyptian Privet, and Smooth Lawsonia. Henna grows in hot climates and is found in India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Persia, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan and other North African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries. The leaves, flowers, and twigs are ground into a fine powder, then mixed with hot water. 


Various shades are obtainable by mixing with the leaves of other plants, such as indigo. Tea, coffee, cloves, tamarind, lemon, sugar, and various oils are also used to enhance the colour and longevity of design.

 
There is much speculation as to the first origin of the use of henna. What is known for sure is that henna has been used as a cosmetic, as well as for its supposed healing properties for at least 5000 years. Centuries of migration and cultural interaction has made it difficult to determine with absolute certainty where the tradition began. Some scholars claim that the earliest documentations of henna use are found in ancient Indian texts and images, indicating that mehndi as an art-form may have originated in ancient India. Others, however, state that the use of henna was taken to India by the Moguls in the 12th Century C.E., centuries after use in the Middle East and North Africa. Still others insist that the tradition of mehndi originated in North Africa and the Middle Eastern countries during ancient times. Henna use has also been documented in ancient Egypt, where it is known to have been used to stain the fingers and toes of the Pharaohs prior to mummification. It is also possible that the similar use of henna for skin decoration in these regions arose independently and perhaps simultaneously, and this could account for the difficulty in pinpointing an exact birthplace of mehndi art. 


Mehndi (or mehendi or mehandi or mylanji) is the application of henna  as a temporary form of skin decoration, most popular in the south Asia, middle east and north Africa as well as expatriate communities from these areas. It is typically employed for special occasions, particularly weddings.